dhkonrad's 93 ford ranger

[brinker88]

I'd try 0.008" deeper. What's your backlash set at?

 

[dhkonrad]

I'd try 0.008" deeper. What's your backlash set at?

Ill try pushing it in a little. If it was the rear id be alot more worried about it. Backlash is 8.5thou, so pretty much dead in the middle of the range.

 

[2004xlmiller]

first time ive seen your build thread, read it all and damn dane youre doin work! looking great, i wanna have a minimeet up there soon. chaulk bluff and river bottoms maybe?

 

[Kevery]

I just read it too for the first time. looks good!

Yes it is normal for your heims to sound like that. Mine creek and squeak like crazy as well. there's nothing you can do about it except upgrade.

 

[dhkonrad]

first time ive seen your build thread, read it all and damn dane youre doin work! looking great, i wanna have a minimeet up there soon. chaulk bluff and river bottoms maybe?

Thanks! glad someone is reading it besides me
I would be down, assuming my truck is up in time. Its probably optimistic, but I am hoping to get the truck on its own weight before the end of july, so I can start working bugs out. I have to leave for school mid to end of august, and I really want to be taking my truck...

I just read it too for the first time. looks good!

Yes it is normal for your heims to sound like that. Mine creek and squeak like crazy as well. there's nothing you can do about it except upgrade.

Sweet! Thanks! and thank you for answering all my questions for the last couple days haha

 

[2004xlmiller]

i know youve been building the 44, did you tear out all the ttb already??

 

[dhkonrad]

i know youve been building the 44, did you tear out all the ttb already??

Not yet, but I blew thru a set of bearings on my truck, and I suspect I spun a race in the hub or something because it went way too fast, and I dont want to put any more money into suspension I am about to tear out...

 

[dhkonrad]

got the 8.8 mostly torn down and cleaned up


Im kind of annoyed that the pinion depth is shimmed between the inner pinion bearing and the head

I got the cone to move about 5-10 thou by wedging a chisel between the base of the cone and the head of the pinion, but now I am kind of at a loss. I have a bearing puller/separator, but it wont fit into that gap, and on the 44 I pretty well messed up the inner pinion bearing trying to get it off, so it was in no shape to be used as a set up, and I definitely don't want to be trying to take the new bearing on and off to adjust pinion depth...
Also contemplating replacing the clutch pack while I am here, but then I would have to wait on the parts...

 

[brinker88]

I used a HF bearing splitter. Worked awesome on their 20 ton press.


Make a setup bearing for the pinion as well. It works great. Also never use a "locking nut" on the pinion to set gears up. Use an oiled non locking nut evertime until final assembly.

 

[dhkonrad]

Progress has been very slow, but happening nevertheless:

axle starting to look a little more like a finished product. Still waiting on the drivers side wheel hub, but that should get here tomorrow.
Got some Warn-non premium lockouts, but I am a little hesitant on their design for the 78 Ford dana 44.
My stub shafts look like thus

with what should be a 76 dana 44 stub shaft on the bottom (note difference in location for notch for axle retaining clip)
The instruction manual says

and is illustrated by what my stock lockouts looked like

This is the style of hubs that I just got

(sorry its upside down, photobucket is being dumb)
my question is should I switch stub shafts so I can use the axle retaining clips, or should I not worry about it? I don't think strength wise it should be an issue, just maybe that it wont hold the axle shaft far enough out and therefore wont seal on the inside of the knuckle...
and on the subject of axles, heres a man size axle shaft...


got all the old removed



it looks so naked!

started on "in with the new"


This is about where the axle is planned to be front to back, but iirc a little taller than its supposed to be

goal is to get the tie rod between the pitman arm and that cross member, and so the track bar will go thru where the cross member is now. That way I should only have to cut the front out of the cross member.

used some pvc to layout the radius arms. the end of the pvc at the axle is just sitting on top of the end of the stock radius arm. It looks like the radius arm should sit completely outside the frame, that way it can tuck way up. way further than I think Ill ever get the axle to stuff.


idk if thats going to be long enough. It kind of lays out in a good spot, but it seems like a little longer would be good.
And thats pretty much where I'm at. Still need to get wedge bushings, springs (I think I am going to try a pair of the Wildhorse rock crawler coils), and brake lines among other odds and ends. I did a bit more work on the rear axle, but this post is already much too long...

 

[86MUDRCJ]

Looks good. Keep up the good work I'm getting closer to pulling the trigger on mine. So I might be having a couple question for ya pretty soon.

 

[dhkonrad]

Looks good. Keep up the good work I'm getting closer to pulling the trigger on mine. So I might be having a couple question for ya pretty soon.

Thanks! Im trying lol
Im not super knowledgeable about what im doing, kinda making it up as I go, but I would be very happy to share what little knowledge I have accumulated. Ask anytime.

 

[twescott89]

man just read the whole tread and you have done some serious work good job man truck looks great cant wait till i sas mine lol

 

[RockRanger]

Good looking build you have going. Those are some long links. My three link lengths are around 36" long. I can max out my 14" shocks. That 8274 winch is a beast. I miss mine.

 

[brinker88]

IMHO, the links are WAY too long. If you're planning on keeping them that long, sleeve them or get 3/8" wall DOM. 1/4" wall dom at that length will bend like melted plastic when a rock hits it.